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Nuclear Power Plant
Emergency
Since 1980, each utility that owns a
commercial nuclear power plant in the United States has been required to
have both an onsite and offsite emergency response plan as a condition
of obtaining and maintaining a license to operate that plant. Onsite
emergency response plans are approved by the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC). Offsite plans (which are closely coordinated with the
utility's onsite emergency response plan) are evaluated by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and provided to the NRC, who must
consider the FEMA findings when issuing or maintaining a license.
Federal law establishes the criterion
for determining the adequacy of offsite planning and preparedness, i.e.:
"Plans and preparedness must be determined to adequately protect
the public health and safety by providing reasonable assurance that
appropriate measures can be taken offsite in the event of a radiological
emergency."
Although construction and operation of
nuclear power plants are closely monitored and regulated by the NRC, an
accident, though unlikely, is possible. The potential danger from an
accident at a nuclear power plant is exposure to radiation. This
exposure could come from the release of radioactive material from the
plant into the environment, usually characterized by a plume
(cloud-like) formation. The area the radioactive release may affect is
determined by the amount released from the plant, wind direction and
speed and weather conditions (i.e., rain, snow, etc.) which would
quickly drive the radioactive material to the ground, hence causing
increased deposition of radio nuclides.
If a release of radiation occurs, the
levels of radioactivity will be monitored by authorities from Federal,
State, and county governments, and the utility, to determine the
potential danger in order to protect the public.
What Is Radiation?
Radiation is any form of energy
propagated as rays, waves or energetic particles that travel through the
air or a material medium.
Radioactive materials are composed of
atoms that are unstable. An unstable atom gives off its excess energy
until it becomes stable. The energy emitted is radiation. The process by
which an atom changes from an unstable state to a more stable state by
emitting radiation is called radioactive decay or radioactivity.
People receive some natural or
background radiation exposure each day from the sun, radioactive
elements in the soil and rocks, household appliances (like television
sets and microwave ovens), and medical and dental x-rays. Even the human
body itself emits radiation. These levels of natural and background
radiation is normal. The average American receives 360 millirems of
radiation each year, 300 from natural sources and 60 from man-made
activities. (A rem is a unit of radiation exposure.)
Radioactive materials--if handled
improperly--or radiation accidentally released into the environment, can
be dangerous because of the harmful effects of certain types of
radiation on the body. The longer a person is exposed to radiation and
the closer the person is to the radiation, the greater the risk.
Although radiation cannot be detected
by the senses (sight, smell, etc.), it is easily detected by scientists
with sophisticated instruments that can detect even the smallest levels
of radiation.
Preparing For An
Emergency
Federal, State, County, and Local
officials work together to develop site-specific emergency response
plans for nuclear power plant accidents. These plans are tested through
exercises that include protective actions for schools and nursing homes.
The plans also delineate evacuation
routes, reception centers for those seeking radiological monitoring and
location of congregate care centers for temporary lodging.
State, County, and local governments,
with support from the Federal government and utilities, develop plans
that include a plume emergency planning zone with a radius of 10 miles
from the plant, and an ingestion planning zone within a radius of 50
miles from the plant.
Residents within the 10-mile emergency
planning zone are regularly disseminated emergency information materials
(via brochures) These
materials contain educational information on radiation, instructions for
evacuation and sheltering, special arrangements for the handicapped,
contacts for additional information, etc. Residents should be familiar
with these emergency information materials.
Westchester County's Emergency Planning
booklet for the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant can be found at the
following website:
www.westchestergov.com/discemergplan
Radiological emergency plans call for a prompt Alert and Notification
system. If needed, this prompt Alert and Notification System will be
activated quickly to inform the public of any potential threat from
natural or man-made events. This system uses either sirens, tone alert
radios, route alerting , or a combination to notify the public to tune
their radios or television to an Emergency Alert System (EAS) station.
The EAS stations will provide
information and emergency instructions for the public to follow. If you
are alerted, tune to your local EAS station which includes radio
stations, television stations, NOAA weather radio, and the cable TV
system.
Special plans must be made to assist
and care for persons who are medically disabled or handicapped. If you
or someone you know lives within ten miles of a nuclear facility, please
notify and register with your county emergency management agency.
Adequate assistance will be provided during an emergency.
In the most serious case, evacuations
will be recommended based on particular plant conditions rather than
waiting for the situation to deteriorate and an actual release of
radionuclides to occur.
Emergency
Classification Levels
Preparedness for commercial nuclear
power plants includes a system for notifying the public if a problem
occurs at a plant. The emergency classification level of the problem is
defined by these four categories:
Notification of
Unusual Event is the least serious of the four levels. The
event poses no threat to you or to plant employees, but emergency
officials are notified. No action by the public is necessary.
Alert
is declared when an event has occurred that could reduce the plant's
level of safety, but backup plant systems still work. Emergency agencies
are notified and kept informed, but no action by the public is
necessary.
Site Area
Emergency is declared when an event involving major problems
with the plant's safety systems has progressed to the point that a
release of some radioactivity into the air or water is possible, but is
not expected to exceed Environmental Protection Agency Protective Action
Guidelines (PAGs) beyond the site boundary. Thus, no action by the
public is necessary.
General
Emergency is the most serious of the four classifications and
is declared when an event at the plant has caused a loss of safety
systems. If such an event occurs, radiation could be released that would
travel beyond the site boundary. State and local authorities will take
action to protect the residents living near the plant. The alert and
notification system will be sounded. People in the affected areas could
be advised to evacuate promptly or, in some situations, to shelter in
place. When the sirens are sounded, you should listen to your radio,
television and tone alert radios for site-specific information and
instructions.
If You Are Alerted
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Remember that
hearing a siren or tone alert radio does not mean you should
evacuate. It means you should promptly turn to an EAS station to
determine whether it is only a test or an actual emergency.
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Tune to your local
radio or television station for information. The warning siren could
mean a nuclear power plant emergency or the sirens could be used as
a warning for tornado, fire, flood, chemical spill, etc.
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Check on your
neighbors.
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Do not call 911.
Special rumor control numbers and information will be provided to
the public for a nuclear power plant emergency, either during the
EAS message, in the utilities' public information brochure, or both.
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In a nuclear power
plant emergency, you may be advised to go indoors and, if so, to
close all windows, doors, chimney dampers, other sources of outside
air, and turn off forced air heating and cooling equipment, etc.
If You Are Advised to
Evacuate the Area
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Stay calm and do not
rush
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Listen to emergency
information
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Close and lock
windows and doors
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Turn off air
conditioning, vents, fans, and furnace
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Close fire place
dampers
Take a few items with you. Gather
personal items you or your family might need:
Use your own transportation or make
arrangements to ride with a neighbor. Public transportation should be
available for those who have not made arrangements. Keep car windows and
air vents closed and listen to an EAS radio station.
Follow the evacuation routes provided.
If you need a place to stay, congregate care information will be
provided.
If Advised to remain at
Home
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Bring pets inside.
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Close and lock
windows and doors
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Turn off air
conditioning, vents, fans and furnace
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Close fireplace
dampers
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Go to the basement
or other underground area
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Stay inside until
authorities say it is safe
When Coming In From
Outdoors
The thyroid gland is vulnerable to the
uptake of radioactive iodine. If a radiological release occurs at a
nuclear power plant, States may decide to provide the public with a
stable iodine, potassium iodide (KI), which saturates the thyroid and
protects it from the uptake of radioactive iodine. Such a protective
action is at the option of State, and in some cases, local government.
Remember your neighbors may require
special assistance--infants, elderly people, and people with
disabilities.
School Evacuations
If an incident involving an actual or
potential radiological release occurs, consideration is given to the
safety of the children. If an emergency is declared, students in the
10-mile emergency planning zone will be relocated to designated
facilities in a safe area. Usually, as a precautionary measure, school
children are relocated prior to the evacuation of the general public.
Three Ways to
Minimize Radiation Exposure
There are three factors that minimize
radiation exposure to your body: Time, Distance, and Shielding.
Time--Most
radioactivity loses its strength fairly quickly. Limiting the time spent
near the source of radiation reduces the amount of radiation exposure
you will receive. Following an accident, local authorities will monitor
any release of radiation and determine the level of protective actions
and when the threat has passed.
Distance--The
more distance between you and the source of the radiation, the less
radiation you will receive. In the most serious nuclear power plant
accident, local officials will likely call for an evacuation, thereby
increasing the distance between you and the radiation.
Shielding--Like
distance, the more heavy, dense materials between you and the source of
the radiation, the better. This is why local officials could advise you
to remain indoors if an accident occurs. In some cases, the walls in
your home or workplace would be sufficient shielding to protect you for
a short period of time.
What you can do to stay
informed:
Attend public information meetings. You
may also want to attend post-exercise meetings that include the media
and the public.
Contact local emergency management
officials, who can provide information about radioactivity, safety
precautions, and state, local, industry and federal plans.
Ask about the hazards radiation may
pose to your family, especially with respect to young children, pregnant
women and the elderly.
Ask where nuclear power plants are
located.
Learn your county's warning systems.
Learn emergency plans for schools, day
care centers, nursing homes--anywhere family members might be.
Be familiar with emergency information
materials that are regularly disseminated to your home (via brochures,
the phone book, calendars, utility bills, etc.) These materials contain
educational information on radiation, instructions for evacuation and
sheltering, special arrangements for the handicapped, contacts for
additional information, etc.
Nuclear Terrorism-"Dirty
Bomb"
There are two fundamentally different
threats in the area of nuclear terrorism. One is the use, threatened
use, or threatened detonation of a nuclear bomb. The other is the
detonation, or threatened detonation, of a conventional explosive
incorporating nuclear materials (radiological dispersal devices, also
called RDD).
To learn more about dirty bombs go to:
www.ready.gov/radiation.html
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